Excellent morning’s birding. 44 species recorded inc. Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Common Snipe and Grey Wagtail. Still a steady stream of Swallows overhead with lesser numbers of Sand and House Martins. Quite a few thrushes about but no sign of any “winter” thrushes yet.

12 Swallows flying around over common yesterday (7 Oct) 18.00h.

Single Swallow in Pyle yesterday morning. Jays noisy in Collwyn woods.

55 Canada geese 26 mute swan 60 black h gulls 6 tufted ducks 25 mallard 10 herring gull  10 lesser b b gulls 12 chaffinch two of the chaffinch juvs had fungus growths on both legs and one had lost half a leg anyone have any idea why

Goldfinch numbers increasing steadily past few days, if very vocal visitors to my garden feeders are anything to go by. Rooks from nearby Rookery regularly flying over house to farm fields and yesterday I heard 5 Skylark calling and a Chiffchaff was singing confidently in the sun. 3 Jay just flew along tree line of Collwyn woods. (Found an Acorn buried in front lane this week).

Highlights of the GBC Gower field trip on a windy day at Mewslade and Rhossili included Common Scoter, Chough, Razorbill, Guillemot and Gannet. Raptors seen were Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and 3 Kestrel.

Thanks to John Wilson for leading the field trip and to all who came along. In total 45 species were seen or heard.

Full species list: Common Scoter, Pheasant, Shag, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Oystercatcher, Kittiwake, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Guillemot, Razorbill, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chough, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet and Bullfinch.

There were c.30 House Martins feeding over W lake this morning for abut 10 mins, then the moved on. A Coal Tit feeding in trees by the Med. Village was fairly unusual, and a Goldcrest there. There were 3 Mistle Thrush in W paddock and a Kingfisher at the dragonfly pond. Also along by the Med Village concrete path there were quite a few Red Admirals and 1 Painted Lady amongst them and a Comma, plus a few Ivy Bees. Also Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers still around.

 

95 Canada geese 85 black headed gulls 5 little egrets 6 mallards 20 herring gulls 10 lesser b b gulls 5 common gulls 1 curlew 10 long tailed tits

Probable ring ouzel (fem or imm) seen flying back from the harbour/breakwater back towards car park areas. Friday 29th Sept about 3:45 pm.

Firecrest on Southward Lane

Some birdies and one of many dragonflies out in the sun this morning at Cosmeston. The GCG young were resting by the sluice on E lake. There were 4 Buzzards playing and mewing all the time, Green Pecker as on the ‘snipe paddock’ posts, and there were many Common Darters. Also 2 Kingfishers were at the dragonfly pond. PLus osme ringed gulls, all Lsr Black-backs – Blue F:300 [Ad], Blue F:466 [1st yr} and White with black letters OLF [Ad].

Don’t forget the first Glamorgan Bird Club indoor meeting of this autumn/winter TONIGHT! [Tues 3rd] eve.7:45 p.m. at KNNR. Paul Bowden is giving an illustrated talk on Birding around the Arctic Circle, which will be very interesting I’m sure.

Drake Wigeon on the sea at Cadoxton River mouth/Bendrick Rock at high tide this afternoon. Kingfisher working tidal pool.

Earlier this afternoon, Hobby at Cosmeston near top end of East paddock, Kingfisher at West Lake

Barry Old Harbour – 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, Little Egret, 2 Curlew this morning

The ditches alongside Leckwith Road have been “home” to Moorhens for several years! They have even bred there too. In addition it is a site where Reed Warblers briefly stop off on Spring passage. This falls inside my BBS site. During winter two or three Moorhens often venture onto the grass verges of Leckwith Rd as well! Glad to note that you’ve seen them there today!

Short a.m. walk. 2 Pochard on W lake, my first of this winter. 16 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Buzzard, 4 separate feeding flocks og Long-tailed Tits, 2 Goldcrest with them, and the usual suspects. generally.

Although this historic ditch along Leckwith Road, Cardiff, is very over-grown, it was good to see four moorhens tonight, by the athletics stadium.

News from Gower [main details only on Twitter]. A Booted Warbler plus Yellow-browed & Firecrest have been seen in sycamores over School Lane, opposite Middleton Farm, near Rhossili yesterday and today.

1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Grey Wag, and 2 Rock Pipits on shoreline of S Cardiff Bay by Plas Taliesin [Penarth Marina] late morning.

A Red Kite flew south across the Gower Road and over Olchfa School at 12.30 p.m.; half-a-dozen Swallows were over the Clyne Valley.

Four Arctic skuas flew together in close over Sker Point this morning. Otherwise very quiet for September. 50 golden plover, a wheatear and a lapwing on the rocks.